Morocco's ambassador Youssef Balla has praised the Leonardo group's Med-Or foundation, whose goal is to promote cultural, research and scientific training activities across Italy and the countries of the wider Mediterranean area.
The Med-Or foundation, whose headquarters were inaugurated on Tuesday in Rome , is "a very positive initiative for which Morocco shows absolute appreciation," Balla told Adnkronos International news agency.
Balla especially praised "the personality and skills of the person charged with guiding the foundation, Marco Minniti" - a former interior minister.
Minniti "is known in Arab countries and the Mediterranean for his broad culture and understanding of regional issues.The latter is a very positive point," Balla stated.
The Med-Or foundation, Balla continued, "can help consolidate Italy's traditional Mediterranean policy, which is very avant-garde and supportive" and "aimed at consolidating relations with the southern shore of the Mediterranean on the basis of mutual understanding and a deep knowledge of the region".
"Italy is better placed than any other country to accompany and cooperate with the southern shore to overcome the challenges we have before us," Balla underlined.
"The foundation has a very important role in bringing the positions closer and, importantly, will involve skills and personalities that stand out in the Mediterranean area for their culture and their academic contributions. Med-Or will play a very positive and concrete role."
Balla praised an agreement that the Med-Or foundation has signed with Italy's private Luiss university and the Muhammad VI University of Rabat, which will bring Moroccan students to study in Rome in September.
"Promoting peace among peoples is vital. This is an essential point and it is certainly a very positive first step that also highlights the importance education has for this foundation," Balla stated.
"University exchanges are a proper way of bringing people together," Balla went on
